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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26539720">Tea for a Lion and an Eagle</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arika_Ito/pseuds/Arika_Ito'>Arika_Ito</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops &amp; Cafés, F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 06:48:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,248</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26539720</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arika_Ito/pseuds/Arika_Ito</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Coffee Shop!AU </p><p>Dimitri's the overworked and tired CEO of Blaiddyd Corp. but has also found a new favorite cafe. But it takes him by surprise when the barista there already knows his order by heart.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Edelgard von Hresvelg</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>48</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Dimitri has only been to the Black Eagles a few times before the baristas began to recognize him there. It’s about five minutes from his office at Blaiddyd Corporation and the Chamomile tea there is wonderful. It’s one of the few places that manages to balance both their tea and coffee selection equally. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t sleep well last night so he stutters through his order before the barista just walks away, preparing a cup of tea wordlessly. She pulls out a pastry and shoves it towards him before checking on his teacup that is currently steeping. It’s still early in the morning so it’s just him and the staff. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The brunette girl- Dorothea, Sylvain got her name the visit before, shakes her head, and rings him up. She chirps out the price of tea smiling brilliantly before the barista returns with his cup of steaming tea. He glances at the price before looking at Dorothea. It's missing the cost of the croissant.</span>
</p><p>"It's on the house!" Dorothea beams at him, continuing to ring up the register.</p><p>
  <span>She looks him up and down, scanning him in his three-piece business suit. “You should sleep more.” The barista says before stalking away. Dimitri stares after her, her long white hair falling to her back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Dimitri asks Dorothea, who passes him his change. He drops the coins into the tip jar wordlessly and Dorothea’s smile grows even bigger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s just Edie,” she explains teasingly. “She likes to look after her regulars!” Dimitri shakes his head as he walks away with the pastry in hand, pushing the door open with his shoulder. It’s 6 am and he has a long morning ahead of him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blaiddyd Co. has been in his family for generations. His father died when he was young and he was raised by a family friend as the board ran the company. His uncle was supposed to be in charge of things for him but he drank himself to an early grave not long before Dimitri turned 18. He’s spent a lot of hours bringing the family name back to posterity. Long hours. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He needs to send a text to Rodrigue, letting him know how things are. He’s let a lot of things in his personal life fall to the wayside as he attempts to elevate the family name back to its former heights. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He examines the pastry before he takes a bite of it, chewing thoughtfully. It’s good and it’s fresh, it’s not something that was from the day before. It’s what gets him through most of the day even though he finishes the cup before his first meeting. He doesn’t have time to eat lunch as one of his meetings runs long and his next one doesn’t give him enough time to go to the cafeteria.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s already 7 pm when he slumps over the table at Black Eagles, resting his head against the cool plastic. It’s unbecoming of him but at this point, he really doesn’t care. The same barista is there, who spoke to him in the morning, organizing the glass mugs of the people who stay there for the day. She looks at him slouched over the table and walks away towards the tea station. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He might have dozed off but quickly wakes up when she slams a mug of hot tea and a sandwich on the table, jolting him awake. He looks up as she walks away with her ponytail dangling between her shoulder blades. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry!” Dimitri calls out after her trailing figure. “But I didn’t order this!” She ignores him, going to the back. He looks down at the sandwich, his mouth watering at the sight of it. The only thing he’s eaten today is that croissant earlier. No one else is in the coffee shop except for him and her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He takes a bite from the corner of the sandwich, chewing thoroughly. It’s stacked high with slices of turkey and cheese and he can feel the crunch of the lettuce. The bread is soft and pillowy, he really needed this. He scents the tea before drinking it, it’s Chamomile again. He looks down at the order. The girl from earlier said that ‘Edie’ liked to look after her regulars but he didn’t expect this. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He finishes the sandwich quickly, filling him up. It’s one of the best sandwiches he’s had in a while and the cup of tea hit the spot. He spots the barista near the front, storing away the pastries in containers. He rushes towards the register, pulling out his wallet. The barista spots him and eyes him strangely. “It was on the house,” she answers automatically before he can say anything. “Don’t worry about it.” She says brusquely, organizing the pastries to fit nicely. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t do that,” Dimitri responds quickly, pulling out the bills to cover the meal. He says sincerely, “I can pay for it.” Despite his long hours, he’s well compensated for it. He doesn’t want to get her in trouble for providing a free meal when it was necessary. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She barks out a laugh. “Trust me,” she says, shaking her head. “It’s on the house. I own this place, I can afford it.” She looks him up and down, noticing the loosened tie and the bags under his eyes. “You should go get some sleep.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dimitri stares at her before he shoves a twenty into the tip jar, smiling at her. She sighs, putting the boxes of leftover pastries away. “Allergic to anything?” She asks, to which Dimitri shakes his head. She takes out a cookie and places it on a napkin before shoving it towards him. “Also on the house.” She says wryly. She begins to wipe down the counter. He notes the time guiltily, the shop should have been closed by now if it wasn’t for him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He takes a bite out of the cookie, melting in his mouth. “What’s your name?” He asks after swallowing the first bite, wiping away the crumbs from the corners of his mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She raises a thin white brow. “El,” she responds, continuing to wipe the counter down. She’s meticulous in her work, cleaning every inch of the bare surface. “You?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dimitri.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“He’s here again!” Dorothea trills, waltzing away from the front. Edelgard rolls her eyes as she steps up to the register. People say to keep their personal life private from work but Edelgard finds that instead it keeps her sane. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After leaving home and her abusive father, Bernadetta works early mornings preparing the pastries for the cafe. And Bernadetta makes the best sweets.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Linhardt works part-time, organizing the online part for Black Eagle Cafe because Edelgard really doesn’t want to learn how to code. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dorothea works here because it provides her a steady income while the directors learn to recognize her talent. Edelgard could easily work her contacts to launch her into stardom but Dorothea likes to play fair. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hubert manages the coffee selection while Ferdinand helps her with the tea selection when he isn’t running the surviving parts of Hresvelg Corp ethically.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Caspar and Petra help manage with the early morning rush because as skilled as she and Dorothea are, even they can’t handle the bustle of being on one of Fodlan’s busiest streets. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So she’s happy. Much happier than when she was plotting the downfall of her uncle and his cronies, which might have included her friends’ parents. Her private life was always intertwined with public life and there was no way to untangle it now. So maybe her connections had gotten her the prime real estate for a cafe opening but it was her product that kept the lights running. Hubert’s dark glares kept the press from intruding as they soon realized that Edelgard Hresvelg was only in the business of running a simple cafe. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She knows tired when she sees it. Dimitri Blaiddyd stumbles into her cafe at least three times a week in the early early mornings. Dorothea usually works those with her as Bernadetta bakes in the back because she’s always been an early riser. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s painful when he tries to stutter through his usual order- </span>
  <em>
    <span>a large Chamomile tea</span>
  </em>
  <span> with nothing else so she cuts it short. Despite it being 6 am, he never drinks caffeine, which given the large selection of drinks that Hubert and Ferdinand cultivated, is surprising. He has options but he never deviates from it. He’s also getting thinner, which given how tall the man is, is a concerning sign. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She grabs a freshly baked croissant that Bernadetta made, the first batch out of the oven and slides it over to him. There isn’t anything extra on there so she’s pretty sure he’s not allergic to anything. She lets Dorothea handle the order. She may have been trained in the art of a polite smile but she has no use for it here. Hostile takeovers are more her style anyways.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dorothea rings him and he walks out of the cafe sleepy as ever. “He should get some sleep?” Dorothea repeats, raising a delicate eyebrow once he’s out of view. “You really know how to charm someone, huh Edie.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edelgard rolls her eyes. As smooth as Dorothea can be at times- she’s seen the amount of hastily scrawled numbers on receipts meant for Dorothea, even she stumbled over her words when Petra interviewed for a position. They’re dating now but it certainly wasn’t because of Dorothea’s excellent first impression. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He looks tired,” Edelgard retorts, tossing her hair over her shoulder. It’s still very early in the morning before the rush begins and they’ll need to start putting up Bernadetta’s pastries up for display. Most people can’t turn down Bernadetta’s baked goods when it’s in their face. “I’m just stating the obvious.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dorothea hums, “I’m saying he has the shoulders of someone you would want to throw your legs over,” she whispers teasingly. Edelgard flushes and walks away, checking on Bernadetta and her baking in the back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He comes back in the early night just before closing. It would have annoyed Edelgard because no one was there but when he slumps over a table, his cheek pressed to the cold plastic, Edelgard takes pity on him. He’s actually sleeping in public despite his well-groomed appearance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She prepares a sandwich for him, toasting the bread before slathering sauce onto it. She stacks slices of turkey and cheese on it before layering it with tomatoes and lettuce. His face is gaunt in the dim lights as he slumbers. At least he is getting some sleep even if it's in her cafe. She also prepares a cup of Chamomile tea for him as well. It doesn’t haven’t any caffeine so it’s recommended for late nights. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stops and stares at him. He looks very peaceful as he sleeps, the bags under his eyes softening. Edelgard shakes her head. This was her before she stepped down and opened the cafe. It keeps her busy and because of her inheritance, she does not need to worry about the profits but at least it’s a happy busy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looks tired and exhausted all the time. She sees his friends with him once in a while but she’s never seen them comment on his tired appearance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She drops the plate and cup on to the table, wincing as it clatters loudly. He jolts away, looking around blearily. He spots the sandwich and teacup and she can see a spot of drool forming at the corner of his mouth. Shaking her head, she walks away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry!” He calls out after her. “I didn’t order this!” No, she thinks silently in her head. You did not but you needed it. She walks behind the counter, grabbing the plastic containers that she needs to use to store the leftover baked goods for the day. She’ll drop them off at the homeless center down the street and keep some to sell at half price. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s late in the day and despite the meeting she had in the early afternoon with Ferdinand to discuss a new variation of a tea blend, she’s exhausted. But it’s a good kind of exhaustion. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He walks up to the counter, pulling out his leather wallet. Edelgard can spot the number of cards and bills in there even from the counter. She’s aware of Blaiddyd Corp, it wasn’t a competitor with her family’s but she knows enough. He’s wealthy and could easily pay for this meal. But it was on the house. And she tells him as much. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead, he maintains eye contact with her as he shoves a twenty-dollar bill into the tip jar, smiling all the way. Edelgard turns, rolling her eyes. She doesn’t need it. She’ll store it away tomorrow and leave it for Dorothea as she always works the early morning shifts with her. In retaliation, she slides him a leftover sugar cookie. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He takes a bite of the cookie, almost moaning at the taste. Edelgard smiles in pride, despite Bernadetta’s severe lack of self-confidence, she was proud of her cooking abilities. Edelgard certainly partook in her baked goods frequently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s your name?” Dimitri asks curiously. He doesn’t recognize the former heir to the Hresvelg Corp, which doesn’t quite come as a shock to her for some reason. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“El,” she answers. She uses that name because Edelgard’s far too recognizable. Even if he doesn’t know her by appearance, he’s sure to know her name. “You?” She asks, even though she knows his name.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smiles broadly, “Dimitri.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I finished Glass Axe yesterday and was doing some editing. But today was pretty rough and I wanted to write something happy. So here we are, coffee shop au where Dimitri is the exhausted one and Edelgard is the one running her cafe. This is probably just going to be a two-shotter but I wrote this really quickly without thinking too hard about it. Like I said, I wanted something happyish. </p><p>Rest in Power, RBG.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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